The Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world, the mausoleum of Shah Jahan's favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, and one of the three World Heritage Sites in Agra.
Completed in 1653, the TÄj Mahal was built by the Mughal king Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his beloved wife, MumtÄz Mahal. Finished in marble, it is perhaps India's most beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monument took 22 years (1630–1652) of labour and 20,000 workers, masons and jewellers to build and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by the Persian architect, UstÄd 'ĪsÄ, the TÄj Mahal is on the south bank of the Yamuna River. It can be observed from Agra Fort from where Emperor ShÄh JahÄn gazed at it for the last eight years of his life, a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. It is an acknowledged masterpiece of symmetry. Verses of the Koran are inscribed on it and at the top of the gate are twenty-two small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to build. The TÄj Mahal was built on a marble platform that stands above a sandstone one. The most elegant dome of the TÄj Mahal has a diameter of 60 feet (18 m), and rises to a height of 80 feet (24 m); directly under this dome is the tomb of MumtÄz Mahal. Shah JahÄn's tomb was erected next to hers by his son Aurangzeb. The interiors are decorated with fine inlay work, incorporating semi-precious stones.© Copyright 2014 meriyatra.in - All Rights Reserved